Aortic valve replacement is a cardiac surgery procedure that replaces a patient's aortic valve with a prosthetic valve. Aortic valve replacement typically requires open heart surgery, which may be risky and/or impractical for many patients. Aortic valve replacement may not be an option for patients with aortic stenosis, left ventricular outflow obstruction, a heavily calcified ascending aorta, a heavily calcified aortic root, and/or other high risk medical conditions. For example, patients with conditions that preclude a median sternotomy may not be candidates for an aortic valve replacement operation.
Apical aortic conduits may provide a less invasive alternative to aortic valve replacement. An apical aortic conduit may be connected between the apex of the heart and the aorta in a procedure similar to a coronary artery bypass graft. Apical aortic conduits may improve blood flow between the heart and the aorta by bypassing a diseased or malfunctioning aortic valve. Patients who are not eligible for aortic valve replacement may be treated by using an apical aortic conduit to bypass the valve. For example, apical aortic conduits may be used in pediatric patients. The native valve may be left in place in pediatric patients to eliminate the need for periodic valve replacements as the patient grows. Thus, the apical aortic conduit may maintain the maximum possible function of the native valve while bypassing the restricted flow to lessen stress on the heart and allow more blood flow to the body. In other words, the apical aortic conduit may bypass the native valve to allow for extra flow to the aorta while still allowing the maximum flow that the native valve can physiologically handle.
Traditional apical aortic conduits may fail or malfunction for various reasons. For example, the conduit material used in an apical aortic conduit may become blocked as a result of kinking. Traditional conduits may also become occluded and obstruct apical flow. Also, apical aortic conduits are typically sutured to the heart and the aorta, and the suturing may cause aneurisms at or near the attachment site. Apical aortic conduits may also cause gastrointestinal complications such as dysphagia and gastric erosion. Furthermore, implanting an apical aortic conduit on a beating heart may result in significant blood loss from the patient.